Minister for the Arts, Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield, has announced more than $3 million for 59 projects that help keep Indigenous languages alive and showcase Australia’s traditional and contemporary Indigenous cultural and artistic expressions.
Federal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, welcomed the Australian Government’s funding for West Darling Art’s Broadening Community Reach project.
“I am delighted that $48,000 will be provided to West Darling Arts to coordinate the delivery of this touring program, making art accessible to regional and remote communities across the West Darling region,” Ms Ley said
The Broadening Community Reach project incorporates the delivery of programs that will develop, produce, exhibit and encourage participation in traditional and contemporary Indigenous artistic expression, with visits to a number of regional communities – including Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Menindee, White Cliffs, Wilcannia, Ivanhoe and Wentworth.
“Art is essential to any culture and creates a sense of cultural identity and pride. These projects play an important role in helping to sustain and strengthen our Indigenous communities,” Minister Fifield said.
In 2015-16, the projects stream of the Indigenous Languages and Arts program will provide funding of up to $100,000 per project to develop, produce, present, exhibit or perform Australia’s traditional and contemporary Indigenous arts projects.
The funding will increase audience engagement with a diverse range of Indigenous art forms, contribute to a strong sense of cultural identity and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and support new forms of Indigenous cultural expression through art.
Funded activities include a touring theatre production, a multi arts projects, a contemporary dance theatre production, a collaborative cultural project aimed at reviving Indigenous languages, a community led film and photographic exhibition, a large scale artwork developed by elders and community members and cultural workshops that aim to re-introduce traditional art forms to communities.
The projects will use a range of art forms to share stories from Indigenous communities across Australia passing traditions down to new generations.
The Indigenous Languages and Arts program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to keep cultural identity strong by providing funding for contemporary and traditional arts and languages activities.
More information about the Indigenous Languages and Arts program and a full list of funding recipients can be found on the Ministry for the Arts website http://arts.gov.au/topics/indigenous-arts-languages-and-culture/indigenous-languages-and-arts.
